Our view: Tell state lawmakers to repeal fee

Thursday

Oct 29, 2009 at 12:01 AMOct 29, 2009 at 2:37 AM

AT ISSUE: Sign online petition against forced purchase of new license plates

Did you know that after April 1, 2010, the next time you register a motor vehicle New York state is going to grab you for an additional $25 for new license plates whether you need them or not? It’s one of the many fees tucked into the state budget to raise revenue, and it covers cars, trucks, trailers and motorcycles – even ATVs.

Don’t stand for it.

What can you do? Make your voice heard with thousands of other New Yorkers by signing a petition asking state representatives to repeal the mandate.

JOIN THE OUTRAGE
Tell Albany lawmakers that an additional $25 for new license plates mandated after April 1, 2010, is unacceptable and needs to be repealed.

Visit www.NoNewPlates.com to sign the online petition.

The online petition — find it at www.NoNewPlates.com — was initiated by St. Lawrence County Clerk Patricia Ritchie. She says the mandate will cost residents statewide more than $250 million.

The new fee was part of the $131 billion state budget passed in April. It was among many new fees hidden inside budget bills and approved by the Legislature’s Democrats, at least one of whom says he didn’t realize it was there.

“I wasn’t sure what part of the budget that was in,” said Assemblyman Bill Magee, D-Nelson. “But I don’t support the idea. I think there would be other options.”

Like cutting costs, perhaps?

John Stemen, spokesman for Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito, D-Rome, said the assemblywoman voted against a number of proposed fees, but she did support this one. Meanwhile, Cort Ruddy, chief of staff for Sen. David Valesky, D-Oneida, said Valesky supported the increased license plate fees, noting that DMV fees hadn’t been increased since the state’s last economic crisis.

Republicans opposed the higher fees. Assemblyman David Townsend, R-Sylvan Beach, said it’s a classic example of the battle between upstate and downstate.

“They (Democrats) do what Shelly (Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-New York City) tells them to do. They don’t drive cars in New York City, so these fees don’t matter to them.”

The petition has no legal clout, but a strong showing of public sentiment could stir lawmakers to consider repealing the mandate. It’s also another reason why a bill on initiative and referendum, sponsored by Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-Rome, should be approved.

Griffo’s bill, currently in the Senate Rules Committee and under review by the attorney general, would allow state residents to petition on an issue and bring it to a public vote if enough signatures are collected. An Assembly version of the bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Brian Kolb, R-Canandaigua, is in the Judiciary Committee.

In the meantime, tell lawmakers that the license plate mandate is an outrage by signing the online petition. As Ritchie says, “It’s a tax on families and businesses that hits Upstate hardest, and it comes at the wrong time for families that are already struggling to make ends meet.”

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